Sonoma County Maternal Child and Adolescent Health

Happy Father's Day!

Father's brains change after birth-

just like mother's brains do-

"In the current study, we found longitudinal changes in gray matter over the first 4 months

postpartum in human fathers. This postpartum period is critical for fathers to develop an emotional bond with their infants through their intense interactions. Indeed, these early father–infant interactions and emotional bonding become the basis of the father-infant attachment, which has a long-lasting impact on cognitive functions and social attachment for offspring"

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Fathers are also at risk for postpartum depression

8-10% of fathers may experience depression up to 12 months postpartum

Postpartum Support International offers a Virtual Dad's Support Group

We are called Maternal Child and Adolescent Health, but we are here for all parents, Fathers too!

Understanding and attitudes about fathering are changing. Not only do we understand more about how dads affect child development, we are starting to understand why that happens too.

Becoming a father changes fathers, and the experience of interacting with fathers changes children.

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Psychologist Jeffrey Cookston describes 6 obstacles to father involvement and how to overcome them:

Six Obstacles to Father Involvement

Ways home visitors and CPSP staff can help support fathers to be their best parent:

Provide non-gendered parent education


A parent is a parent. All parents should have the knowledge to provide any care


Provide Links to Community Classes and Supports:


ELI Instructions Not Included!


CPI Free Parenting and Co-Parenting classes


Fatherhood.GOV Links to resources and groups


Family Man free interactive fathering education


Fathers Network supporting father raising children with special healthcare needs and developmental disabilities


Yes, this is a picture of my son and my grandson!

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Five Co-Parenting Tips for Stressed Out Dads


Fathers can learn to cultivate better relationships with their children and co-parents.

Joanne Chen, Greater Good


"When it comes to fathers, we’re often quick to peg them as a certain “type”: the nice dad, the fun dad, the workaholic dad, the absent dad. But what if dads don’t fall into distinct buckets and instead—like moms—are just complex human beings who are trying to figure things out as a parent with varying degrees of success?"

What is Your Purpose as a Father?



New studies suggest that having a sense of purpose makes dads healthier, happier, and stronger in the face of challenges we're all facing.

Jeremy Adam Smith, Greater Good


"Sooner or later, our kids will make us suffer. When they’re babies, their crying keeps us up at night. Later, their teenage shenanigans might rob us of more sleep. Some of us stay at jobs we hate so that our kids will never have to wonder where their next meal will come from. We can battle with our co-parents over issues like housework and discipline, testing love we might have once thought would last forever."

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Sonoma County Maternal Child and Adolescent Health | Website

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